Mobile figure



MOBILE FIGURE. APPLICATION HLED APR'. 13, 1921.

Patented June 13, 1922.

NETE@ STATES FATENT QFEQEL.

MARTINUS SIEVEKING, OF STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO FLYING EAGLE COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.l

MOBILE FIGURE.

imacat.

l Application filed April 13,

To all whom t 77mg/ concern:

Be it lrnown that l, MARTINUS SrnvnKrNG, a citizen of Holland, and a resident of Staten Island, in the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mobil-e Figures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to devices that form an ornament tor suitable locations especially a iigure attachment for motor vehicles tobeplaced on the radiator cap or similar place at the front of the car; and which ligure is provided with movable parts, such as wings, that are caused to vibrate or flap to simulate the flying oi a bird, and which are put in motion principally by the jarring of the vehicle.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved figure device of this character that will be operated by actuating means, when the wing-like members are swung by the jarring of the car; which actuating means are effective to retain the wings normallyin a certain position of rest, and when the wings are swung from this position, such means will return the wings by a synchronous movement to the rest position, preferably through a numberot oscillations in unison about the rest position.

ln the accompanying drawing showing one embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device, attached to a radiator cap.

Fig. 2 shows separately the spring and means connecting it with the wings.

Fig. 3 isa vertical cross-section at the middle portion.

A construction of a similar kind is set forth in U. S. patent granted to me, November 18, 1919, No. 1,322,364.. In the construction therein set forth, the wing-like members are shown controlled by a gravity iniuenced member, in the form of a weight, connected with the wings by links and levers. 'In the present construction, the controlling or operating means is in the form of a resilient member, such asa spring plate;

and the wings are operably connected with,

the spring, to swing in unison.

As set forth, I provide a ligure or body in the form ot a bird, denoted generally by 2. On each side are wings 3 and 4, each mounted to oscillate on a substantially horizontal axis, extending longitudinal to the body on each side. As shown, the wing 3 is secured Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 13, 1922.

192].. Serial No. 461,026.

to a rod, that hinges or rocks in ears 5 and 6, bent outwardly from thc body member 2, whichrnay be formed oi' sheet metal. The bar 4 is bent at one end 7,'and secured to the wing 3 to causo the bar to swing with the wing in the hinge ears. This bar 4 has an end portion 8 extending into the body with another bent portion 9, extending rear'- ward. The other wing 4 has a similar bar `10 with a dat portion l. secured to the wing. This bar is bent at 11 and at 12, to extend rearwardly, opposite the bent portion 9 of the other bar.

A suitable spring is provided inside of the body, such as a plate spring 15, that has one y part secured to the body, with the front end The wings 3 and 4 hinged at their inner i ends to the body, tend to swing downward on the hingev rods carried by the wings, which rods extend into the loop on the plate spring, and serve to hold the wings in a nory mal position ot rest, substantially horizontal. lt will be readily understood that the jarring of the vehicle will tend` toy vibrate the wings or swing` them downward, and this will increase the tension on the plate spring. l

The latter will thus be energized, and will react to swing the wings back totheir normal horizontal position. But the latter movementV would naturally have a tendency yto swingA the wings up beyond the positionfof.

rest, by the reaction ofthe tensioned spring,

and then a slight tension would be put in the spring plate to swing the wings downward again. This will occur a number of times and the wings are thereby oscillated, in uni-l son, the greater the initial Amovement of theV wings, the greater the amplitude of the vibrati on and the greater the number of times they will oscillate, in synchronism.

It will be seen that the controlling rods are rigidly secured to each wing, and that these rods engage a slotted link that is rigidly attached to the plate spring. Theretore a single rigidly attached resilient controlling member movably engages each wing member, and no intermediate parts are used. This tends to simplicity andeconomy in construction, and also -enhances -thefdurabilityof the device.

The device may be provided with suitable means for securing it to a radiator cap or the radiator tube below the cap on :a motor vehicle. As shown I make use of the fiat plate spring 15, that is extended rearward and secured tothebody by a second bolt 17 and projects beyond the body, as shown in Fig. l with its end portion bent downwardly, and suitably secured to a clamping` band 18 havinga 'bolt 1.9' at the rear to secure it to the radiator tube as shown.

1t will 'be seen frointlie description that the device ,providesy wing members that are so connected by the operating mechanism that they necessarily swing in unison, .that is if: one wing swings upward the other. wing must swing upward the same amount and to the same relative position, and also if swung downwardly `they must swing in unison.,

This is independent of the spring itself, that has connecting` mechanism that forces one wing to swing` exactly the same as the other wing, which is precisely similar to the Hight lof a bird whose wings always flap in unison. It will thus be understood that l have provided an actuating member that when the wings, orieither of them is swung beyond the rest position, in either direction` e'nerO'iZes the actuating member that is there- 2D 1 7 by caused to oscillate the wings in unison back to the rest position. lt will be further ,observed that the wings are arranged substantially horizontal and thereby arev not influenced by the forward movement of the car or by wind pressure generally, the means for supporting the figure or body Comprising an extension of the plate spring 15 will insure a considerable amount of vibratile movement of the body with resultant vibration of the wings; but it is to be understood that ,the mounting .of the body on the radiator cap or lother part of a motor vehicle would necessarily result in very considerable vibration being imparted to the body in a vertical di rection, and that the device` is operative without the employment of the spring support. v v What 1 claim is:

l. A figure of the character set forth, comprising a body member, means for mounting the body to effect vertical vibratile move- 4ment thereof, a pair of wing-like members l,vibratably ymounted bstantially `horizontal ion eachside of -the bodyand movable under the influence of vibrations of the body, an armonieach said wing member projecting in wardly, a spring secured to and within the body with one end free and operably engaging both said arms to retain the wing members in a certain normal position of rest relative to the body, whereby when the wing members are swune beyond said rest position in either direction by vertical movement of the bod said sirine beconies'ten lbent transversely, a flat spring securedin the body membeig a slotted piece on the free end of the spring engaging bothsaid bent arms to retain the wing members in a certa-in normal position of i'est relative to the body, whereby when the wing members are swung beyond said rest position in either direction by vertical movement of thebody, said 'spi-ing becomes tensionedY to react and return the wing members by a synchronous movenient to the said rest position.

' 3. it igure of the character set forth, comprising abedy, a pair of wing-like members vibratably mounted ysubstantially horizontal on each side of the body, anarm on eachsaid member projecting inwardly, a spring secured 1n the body with one'end free and operably engaging both said arms to retain the wing members in a certain normal position of rest relative to the body, whereby when the wing members-are swung beyond said rest position in either 'direction by vertical movement of the body, said spring becomes vtensioned to react and return the wing members by a synchronous movement tothe said position, said spring plate being extended'rearward beyond the body, anda clamping-"member on the rear end ofthe spring plate. v l f Signed atN'ew York city, N, Y., on April ii, i921.

' MARTINUS SIEVEKING. 

